Lid for packing box with display feature

ABSTRACT

A lid having a front portion, a rear portion, a top portion, a right side portion coupled to said front, rear, and top portions, a left side portion coupled to said front, rear, and top portions, and a display portion integrated with said top portion and said front portion. The display portion includes first and second sections, a hinge coupled to the first and second sections, and a flap coupled to the first portion. The display panel is capable of being partially separated from the lid and secured to the rear portion.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Field of the Invention

The present invention relates to an improvement for boxes and moreparticularly, for those boxes which also serve as display containers forthe goods shipped therein in a retail environment.

2. Related Art

Embodiments of the present invention are particularly suitable for aconventional “Euro” box that is now commonly used to ship produce suchas apples. The “Euro” box has its own structure and does not require alid for additional strength. As discussed herein, these boxes havereinforced corners that allow the boxes to be stacked on top of oneanother without damaging the boxes or the materials contained therein.

Conventionally, when a retail store receives produce in boxes from awholesaler, the fruit is unpacked and set in a display. Typically,produce is put onto display racks, produce coolers, bags, bins or traysand the boxes are then discarded. While the display of goods within ashipping box is not novel, there is a need to provide improved displayconditions wherein information regarding the product is convenientlyprovided, and can be easily set up so that it is accessible to aprospective purchaser. Preferably, this information is provided directlyadjacent or in close proximity with the goods so that the information isconvenient and the goods can be inspected with reference to theinformation.

BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

Exemplary embodiments of the invention provide a lid for displaying thecontents within a box. In one embodiment, a lid having a front portion,a rear portion, a top portion, a right side portion coupled to saidfront, rear, and top portions, a left side portion coupled to saidfront, rear, and top portions, and a display portion integrated withsaid top portion and said front portion is provided. In such anembodiment, the display portion includes first and second sections, ahinge coupled to the first and second sections, and a flap coupled tothe first portion. The display portion is also capable of beingpartially separated from the lid and secured to the rear portion. Such alid may be resistant to toploading forces.

In a further embodiment of the invention, the display portion of the lidmay include a display extension that extends beyond the hinge into thesecond section and is capable of being separated from the second sectionwhen said first section is folded into contact with said second section.

In still a further embodiment of the invention, the lid may be used tocover the contents of a box. The box may include a base, a frontsidewall, a rear sidewall, a left sidewall coupled to said base, frontsidewall, and rear sidewall, and a right sidewall coupled to said base,front sidewall, and rear sidewall. When the lid is placed on top of thebox to cover the contents of the box, the lid, in combination with thebox, may be resistant to toploading forces.

In yet another embodiment of the invention, the lid may be used todisplay the contents of a box. The box may include a base, a frontsidewall, a rear sidewall, a left sidewall coupled to said base, frontsidewall, and rear sidewall, and a right sidewall coupled to said base,front sidewall, and rear sidewall. When the lid is placed on top of thebox to cover the contents of the box, the lid, in combination with thebox, may be resistant to toploading forces.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a top plan view of an exemplary embodiment of the cardboardfrom which the lid according to the invention is cut.

FIG. 2 is a perspective front view of the lid according to the inventionshowing the display panel in the closed position.

FIG. 3 is a rear perspective view of an exemplary embodiment of a lidaccording to the invention wherein in the display panel is in an uprightposition.

FIG. 4 depicts a front perspective view of an exemplary embodiment ofthe lid aspect of the invention with the display panel in an uprightposition.

FIG. 5 depicts a top view of an exemplary embodiment of the bottom of abox used with the lid according to embodiments of the invention.

FIG. 6 depicts a front view of an exemplary embodiment of the bottom ofa preferred box that is used in accordance with the invention in apartially disassembled condition.

FIG. 7 depicts a front view an exemplary embodiment of a lid accordingto the present invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

Embodiments of the invention are discussed in detail below. Indescribing embodiments, specific terminology is employed for the sake ofclarity. However, the invention is not intended to be limited to thespecific terminology so selected. While specific exemplary embodimentsare discussed, it should be understood that this is done forillustration purposes only. A person skilled in the relevant art willrecognize that other components and configurations can be used withoutparting from the spirit and scope of the invention. All references citedherein are incorporated by reference as if each had been individuallyincorporated.

Exemplary embodiments of the present invention allow goods such as fruitto be displayed within the box it is shipped and provides a “messageboard” or “display panel” for providing information regarding thecontents to be displayed to prospective customers. Providing suchimprovements allows an in-store display to be quickly and easily set up.In view of the ease of the set up and the added value associated withthe lid according to embodiments of the invention, the retailer hasadditional incentives to purchase goods packed with the presentinvention. Further, the improved lid as described herein leads toincrease the exposure and display of the products within a particularstore, allows the origin of the products that are not traditionallyindividually labeled to be communicated to the purchaser, and providesmore marketing and marketing control by the wholesale seller. Increaseexposure and improved display can lead to increased sales.

Because the lid of the Euro box is reinforced as described below, thelid of the box may be perforated without materially weakening the lidstructure and without compromising the integrity of the structure of thebox. The end result is a self-display package that takes little effortto execute or construct on behalf of the retail store. Because theproduce companies do not typically have the man-power to send salespersonnel into stores to ensure that point of sale marketing material isdisplayed correctly, the lid solves problems for both retailer and thewholesaler. If the seller wants to display the product without the lid,it can be easily removed.

Now referring to FIG. 1, a top view of the box lid 100 material prior tothe cutting and folding step is shown. In an exemplary embodiment of theinvention, corrugated cardboard is cut through on solid lines 101-116.Line 120 and line 121 are cut with perforations so that the line may beeasily torn away at the point of sale. The dotted lines 150, 160, 170,and 171 depict areas where the cardboard is cut to facilitate folding.

After the box is cut from a blank, the box is assembled by folding thealong the perforated lines 150 and 160 as well as along lines 165, 166167 and 168, and along top lines 180 181, 182 and 183. The assembled lidis depicted in FIGS. 2, 3 4 and 7. In an exemplary embodiment of theinvention, a piece of corrugated cardboard that is, for example, 29.01inches wide and 51.09 inches long, is cut along those lines identifiedby solid lines. As seen in cutting plan as illustrated in FIG. 1, thecut 120 for the display lid stop at the rear top edge and the top formsa hinge at this location.

Now referring to FIG. 2, a box lid 200 is shown assembled with the topand integral display panel in the closed position. Gaps 307 receivedopposite tabs formed in the cardboard sidewalls to restrain thesidewalls in an upright position. In this his regard, the sidewall 308is formed of double thickness cardboard that has been folded along lowersurface 309. The opposite sidewall is formed in the same matter. In theembodiment as shown in FIG. 2, the front sidewall 315 and rear sidewall425 are formed from a panel extending from the top 800. The frontsidewall 315 and rear sidewall 425 comprise a single ply sidewall. Inthis condition, the box is shipped and stored until it is time to accessthe contents.

As described above, when the box is cut, a number of perforations arealso made to allow for ease of folding but do not result in a cut thatallows separation by pulling the respective side apart. In other wordsenough cardboard remains along these lines to prevent the parts frombeing easily separated by mechanical tearing. For example, areas 370 and371 are perforated to allow for ease of folding at that location. Asbest seen in FIG. 3, area 370 and 371 form shoulders 470 and 471 whenthe display panel 350 is in the upright position. Various through holessuch as 307 may also be to received and retain opposite slots.

The pop up display panel 350 can be partially released from the top byseparating the perforations along lines 121 and 120. The display panelis secured to the rear wall by rear section 430 where the two sectionsare in a hinged arrangement. As best seen in FIG. 3, the display panel350 is supported from the rear by section 430 that extends upward fromthe rear sidewall 425. As best seen in FIG. 4, when the front section900 of display panel 350 is positioned parallel with the interiorsurface 905 of the rear wall 425, the weight of the display panel willcause the display to tilt rearward. The front panel 900 can be securedby tape or by sliding section 900 between the interior surface 905 ofrear wall of the lid and the exterior surface 509 of rear wall 506 ofthe bottom box 500. In this regard, it should be understood that the lidfits outside the bottom of the box.

As discussed above, the box lid is particularly suitable for use incombination with a box bottom depicted in FIG. 5. FIG. 5 depicts aconventional produced box referred to as the “Euro” and is characterizedby inter alia the reinforced cornered panels 502. These boxes have athree ply front wall 504 wherein the slot 530 extends within the two plywall 504 to approximately location DD. The sidewall 518 is a two plywall comprising side 530 that extends laterally from floor 550 and isstabilized in an upright position by slot 530 and slot 531.

FIG. 6 depicts the front of the box bottom 500 in an unassembledcondition. Here one can see that lateral extensions 650 that, whenassembled comprise interior panel of side wall 518 as well as the cornerpanel 522.

When the lid according to the invention is used in connection with thebox, it is apparent that the lid 200 structures and bottom box 500complement each other. In this regard, the lateral walls of the lid 202consist of two layers and, when in association with the box positionednext to the bottom box 500 which has two sidewalls therefore providing atotal of four layers. The front wall 504 and the rear walls 506 of thebox bottom 500 which substantially comprise three layers (near theopposite end) are reinforced with a single layer by the front 315 andrear 425 of the lid. The lid has the same height at the box so both thelid and the box bottom will provide support to materials on top of thebox.

When provided with a lid according the invention, multiple boxes may bestacked upon one another without crushing the bottom boxes because thelid as described above is resistant to toploading forces. While themiddle of the box is somewhat structurally compromised by theperforations that create the display panel, this section of the box doesnot bear significant weight and therefore the box remains sturdy.

While printed matter can be provide directly on the cardboard from whichthe box is made to result with desired printed matter being located onthe display panel, the display region can also received printed mattercreated by the retail establishment. For example a section may be leftblank so that the retail can insert pricing information. While the topedge 121 of the display panel is depicted herein, this line may be madefanciful, such as in the outline of an apple, grapes etc.

The embodiments illustrated and discussed in this specification areintended only to teach those skilled in the art the best way known tothe inventors to make and use the invention. Nothing in thisspecification should be considered as limiting the scope of the presentinvention. All examples presented are representative and non-limiting.The above-described embodiments of the invention may be modified orvaried, without departing from the invention, as appreciated by thoseskilled in the art in light of the above teachings. It is therefore tobe understood that, within the scope of the claims and theirequivalents, the invention may be practiced otherwise than asspecifically described.

1. A lid, comprising: a front portion; a rear portion; a top portion; aright side portion coupled to said front, rear, and top portions; a leftside portion coupled to said front, rear, and top portions; and adisplay portion integrated with said top portion and said front portion,wherein said display portion comprises first and second sections, ahinge coupled to said first and second sections, and a flap coupled tosaid first portion, and wherein said display panel is capable of beingpartially separated from the lid and secured to said rear portion. 2.The lid according to claim 1, wherein said front, rear, right side, leftside, and display portions are composed of corrugated cardboard.
 3. Thelid according to claim 1, wherein said display portion is defined by aperforated boundary for facilitating the partial separation of saiddisplay portion from the lid.
 4. The lid according to claim 1, whereinsaid hinge enables said first section to fold into contact with saidsecond section.
 5. The lid according to claim 1, wherein said firstsection includes a display extension that extends beyond said hinge intosaid second section and is capable of being separated from said secondsection when said first section is folded into contact with said secondsection.
 6. The lid according to claim 1, wherein said, wherein saidfront, rear, right side, left side, and display portions are resistantto toploading forces.
 7. A box comprising: a base; a front sidewall; arear sidewall; a left sidewall coupled to said base, front sidewall, andrear sidewall; a right sidewall coupled to said base, front sidewall,and rear sidewall; and a lid according to claim 1 for placing on saidbox to cover contents within said box and the height of the sidewalls ofsaid lid is equal to the height of said sidewalls of said box plus thethickness of the top portion of said lid whereby the combination of saidsidewalls of said box and said lid provide increased resistance to toploading forces.
 8. The box according to claim 7, wherein said left andright sidewalls comprise two-ply sidewalls.
 9. The box according toclaim 7, further comprising: reinforced corner panels positioned betweensaid front sidewall and said left sidewall, said front sidewall and saidright sidewall, said rear sidewall and said left sidewall, and said rearsidewall and said right sidewall.
 10. The box according to claim 7,wherein said lid is resistant to toploading forces.
 11. A boxcomprising: a base; a front sidewall; a rear sidewall; a left sidewallcoupled to said base, front sidewall, and rear sidewall; a rightsidewall coupled to said base, front sidewall, and rear sidewall; and alid according to claim 4 for displaying contents within the box whensaid first section is folded into contact with said second section. 12.The box according to claim 11, wherein said left and right sidewallscomprise two-ply sidewalls.
 13. The box according to claim 11, furthercomprising: reinforced corner panels positioned between said frontsidewall and said left sidewall, said front sidewall and said rightsidewall, said rear sidewall and said left sidewall, and said rearsidewall and said right sidewall.
 14. The box according to claim 11,wherein said lid is resistant to toploading forces.
 15. The boxaccording to claim 11, wherein said flap may be inserted between saidrear sidewall and said rear portion when said lid is placed onto the boxand when said first section is folded into contact with said secondsection.